Damaskino Mediterranean Food — Restaurant in Jacksonville

I've held off on reviewing this business. Subconsciously I think I just wanted to keep one of my favorite places to myself before it becomes too well discovered. I am making an emphatic recommendation to visit Damaskino for a fantastic and authentic meal! You simply must go here if you love excellent food, genuine service and casual atmosphere. Damaskino is what a restaurant is like when you have a great family with a love for sharing their hospitality with others and don't have great wealth. This is a hardworking family, just like us. And if my experience in restaurant is any indicator, they sacrifice much to deliver a consistent and quality product day in and out. You won't find some inexperienced staff here. You'll see the same warm and friendly faces every time you come to eat. It almost like coming home.

This cute little restaurant sits in an older, strip mall sitting behind the main businesses on Atlantic (right behind what used to be La Nopalera and is now a seafood place). They are wedged between a halal grocery and a barber shop and the exterior is definitely where you are reminded that big corporate dollars are not being funneled here. There are frequently boxes obstructing the sidewalk in front of the grocery, sometimes with discarda inside. In front of the barber shop there is almost always a guy or two on their mobile phones and enjoying a smoke, and just adjacent is the garbage area which is not hidden and never seems to be tidy. Parking can be a bit challenging as the spaces are perpendicular to the building but the driveway itself is quite narrow.

Since I mentioned halal, for the life of me I cannot figure out what the reviewer was complaining about when they said this food was not halal. I'm pretty sure the reviewer didn't know what halal means, but I'm assured their meat is dispatched according to the halal requirements.

This restaurant is closed on Sundays. I've submitted this to Yelp numerous times and it remains incorrect. As with any small business, please call if you are making a special trip because I'm sure they could close on special holiday's, and I could see them potentially having to close for a family emergency. Why the pontification? Well, I hate going somewhere and them being closed when they should be open. This can happen more frequently with family owned places for obvious reasons, so I've learned always best to call ahead of you're really counting on it.

They do a decent carry-out business and most of the time the main dining room lights are off and we sit at one of three booths near the entrance. If you do want to sit in the dining room, or need a table or have a larger party, they will, without hesitation, open the dining room for you to enjoy. The interior could use a little TLC. It's not bad in any way, just honey. They have table service, so just seat yourself and someone will assist you. Almost all beverages are consumed from a bottle/can and obtained from the cooler by the front door. Everything we have had here is excellent, and everything on the menu is Mediterranean food (just in case you are hoping for something else, like burgers and chicken fingers).

I feel like I should say more about the food, but the portion sizes are fair to generous depending on what you order and I leave here feeling like I was invited into their home for dinner and leaving stuffed every time. They do list a veggie skewer with some of their menu items which they no longer serve automatically because many customers would not want or eat it. If you want the veggies, just ask for them even if the menu description says it comes with a veggie skewer.

Above all, just go. But please, leave your attitude at the door because these same folks above been grinding throughout the pandemic and well before and was one of the few places we would get take out from when...

I recently had the pleasure of trying Damaskino Mediterranean restaurant, and despite a small hiccup in the beginning, it turned out to be an incredible dining experience. Let me start by saying that their food is absolutely delicious!

My friends and I stumbled upon Damaskino on a Sunday afternoon, only to find out that they were closed on Sundays. So, note to self - avoid going there on Sundays, especially if you're hungry! However, my husband and I decided to give it a try the next day for lunch, and we were not disappointed.

At first, we were a little skeptical as we sat down and took in the restaurant's slightly outdated decor. However, I recalled reading a review that said not to judge the place by its appearance, so we decided to give it a chance. We ordered our food to go and patiently waited for it.

As I was feeling a bit unwell that day from not eating earlier, I decided to order the grape leaves and lentil soup. Let me just say, those grape leaves were unlike any I had ever tasted before - bursting with flavor and incredibly delicious. I immediately regretted not ordering more of them!

Then it was time for the lentil soup. Oh, my goodness! This soup was a game-changer. It was creamy and heavenly, with flavors that exploded in my mouth. It reminded me of the first time I tried PHO broth - just an incredible burst of flavors that left me feeling euphoric. This was no ordinary lentil soup; it was more like a lentil bisque, packed with rich, homestyle flavors. Plus, it was gluten-free, which was a bonus for me.

The experience of eating the grape leaves and lentil soup at Damaskino was simply amazing. It brought life back into my body, and I no longer felt ill. The flavors were so vibrant and satisfying that I couldn't help but recommend this place to anyone looking for a delicious Mediterranean meal.

While the decor may not be the trendiest, the food at Damaskino speaks for itself. Don't let the appearance fool you - the dishes here are bursting with flavor and will leave you completely satisfied. I highly recommend trying their grape leaves and lentil soup, as they truly are a culinary delight. Take my advice and give Damaskino a try - you...

I really dislike giving bad reviews but at least it’s an honest one. My fiancé and I came here and dined inside, despite not getting a friendly warm welcoming. The person who was in the middle of taking our order, interrupted us and answered the phone and then proceeded to take our order and rushed us as if they were just SO BUSY! We ordered the lamb kabob mixed dinner with chicken. The lamb was tough and cold! Everything on our plate was cold which we couldn’t understand because we literally waited like 40 minutes for our food to come out and assumed it would be steaming hot and fresh.No one ever updated us on when our food would be ready nor did they even offer us a glass of water. When we got our food there was no interaction from ANY of the staff working there until it was time to pay for our food. We were only given a fork and nothing else to eat with. When we did try and ask for garlic butter it seemed as if we were disturbing them!! This was the first and last time I will be supporting an establishment like this as me and my fiancé are very friendly respectful people who did not do anything to deserve that type of treatment . Please do better and if it’s only friendly to “family” then specify that on the door. Also it’s completely inexpensive to show love and or appreciation to your paying customers who are not entitled to spend their money with you. Peace...